Charging plug



Oct. 30, 1934. v A. d. CODNEY i CHARGING PLUG Filed Aug. 4; 1931vent-Q11 V W W 'm w/M" v retails euanorno rune drum n. iDodne-y,pretense pagan, (this, a signer to Willard Storage Battery @ompany,Eleveland, While, a corporation at West Virginia.

= Application August d, 1931, dcrial lilo. states 2 (Claims.

This invention relates to storage batteries and more particularly to acharging plug adapted for use in place oi the usual vent plug of astorage battery during charging operations.

Due to the fact that during the charging operation of a storage batteryit is necessary to take I specific gravity reading, access for which istil ltd

through the vent openings, and at other timesrequires these openings tobe substantially closed or covered to prevent the esoapement of acidspray but at the same time permit the escape of gases which form andwould cause injury to the battery, it is desirable to have a chargingplug which will efficiently meet these requirements.

it is therefore an object or the present invention to provide a chargingplug which is simple and light in construction, well balanced so as notto be accidentally disengaged from the vent opening, and capable ofbeing readily and speedily removed or replaced when required.

With the objects above indicated and other objects hereinafter explainedin view, the invention consists in the construction and combination ofelements hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a storage battery,partly in section so as to more clearly show the embodiments ol' thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view or a charging plug embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the same;

Fig. i is a side elevational view on a dififerent plane, a portion ofwhich is in section to show the groove more clearly.

In the drawing, lb represents the usual type oil storage batterycontainer or icon composed oi hard rubber or other suitable material.The con tainer is divided by partitions 11 so as to provide the desirednumber of cells, three being herein illustrated, for receiving thegroups or positive and negative plates and the electrolyte. Thecontainer 10 is provided with a plurality of covers 12 which are securedin any desirable manner within the open upper portions of the containerand the upper portions of the partitions ll, each being adapted to closeits respective cell The groups of plates in each cell are supported inthe usual manner by having the posts connected therewith supported inthe associated cover and the free ends attending beyond or above wherethe posts of adjacent cells are connected in the usual manner by strapsor connectors 13. vent openings ii are provided in the covers 12directly over each cell and are usually internally screw-threaded toreceive a screw-threaded vent plug 15. These vent plugs are provided sothat access into the associated cells may be had for the purpose ofadding an electrolyte or taking specific gravity readings by means ofthe well to known hydrorneter syringe.

The details of construction so far described are common in the varioustypes of storage batteries and form no part of the present invention perse but only in combination with a charging plug to which will behereinafter more fully described.

In the charging of storage batteries either orig lnally or at laterperiods in service stations, there are always certain inconveniences anddangers associated therewith. For instance, in high rate to charging, itthe usual vent plug, such as shown at 15, is secured into the ventopening, there is a danger of an explosion if a flame or spars.approaches the pocketed gas which is generated.

'lhen again if the vent plug is placed over the up vent openings withoutscrewing it into place, the majority or" the spray or minute acidbubbles which are projected above the surface of the sulphuric acidelectrolyte in the cell will seep out and onto the top of the batterywhich will be lilrely go to cause damage due to the characteristic oithe solution, but at any ratewill mar or disfigure the top of thebattery as well as cause corrosion of surrounding apparatus.

another disadvantage resides in the possibilpg ity of loss of the ventplugs due to their being easily ltncched off or disengaged from the ventopenings.

It is the purpose of the present invention to produce a charging plughaving certain charpg aeteristics which will efitectively overcome thedisadvantages heretofore set forth.

in Fig. i of the drawing, the vent opening shown in section consists ofwhat will be termed a lower vent opening 16 of rather small diam- 95eter which communicates with the cell through the cover 12. Directlyabove and coaxial therewith is an opening 17 of somewhat larger diameterwhich is interiorly screw-threaded and of substantially greater depththan the depth oi my with the screw-threaded opening it and, when mproperly positioned, the head. or cap of the vent plug engages the topsuriaceeltl so as to close the vent opening against the escapernent ofthe acid from within it e cell,

The charging plug embodying the present in Bill} ventiou is adapted tobe used in place of the usual vent plug 15 during the charging opera-=it consists of a readily detachable and flficiy supported plug 20 formedof any suitable 5 light material, such as herd rubber, having acinculer, relatively flat head or cap portion 21 of suiilcient diameterto suitably rest upon the top surface is of the flange 18 surroundingthe vent opening iioariel and integral with the under side of the cap isa circular extension or stem 3 diameter slightly less than the inner dirof the vent opening is and extending 'dly within the interiorscrew-threads so t any appreciable lateral movement the p :2 within thevent opening. An exor lowermost portion 23 is formed intee lower ventopening 16 as shown in Fig. 1 when e o3 is resting upon the top surface19 in orted position. The lowermost portion 23 stem. 22 is of slightlyless diameter than portion 22 so as to be freely disposed within thelower vent opening 1% but close enough to the walls thereof to preventany appreciable ltity oi ecid spray from passing therebeeen.

- groove 24 extends upwardly throughout the lower portion 23 and theportion 22 of the stem and communicates with a radially extending groove25 upon the under side of the cap 21. i groove permits the escapement ofgas which generated within the cell with which it is essocieted andreduces the possibility of any explosion occurring within the cell.

The charging plug described has the following adi' antages. lhe lowerportion 23 of the size 1, being of slightly less diameter than the eterof the lower vent opening 18 end the i uder surface extending adjacentthe lower portion of the vent opening, tends to prevent the cscapernentof the majority of the acid spray fumes ordinarily evolved from theplates the charging operation. These acid bubbles coming into contactwith the lower portion 26 of the stem burst, with the result that theacid returns to the cell.

A smell portion of the spray and fumes posses the lower portion 23 ofthe stem and the opening 16 but is prevented from escapement to theexterior of the battery by reason of the off= set shoulder 27 formed byreason of the differonce in diameters of the lower portion 23 and theupper portion 22 of the stem. The diameter of the upper portion 22 ofthe stem is greater than the diameter oi the lower vent opening 16 sothat any spray or fumes which pass between the lower portion 23 of thestem end the opening 16 will burst and, being condensed, the acid willdrip heels into the cell. This keeps the upper pert 22 of the stem andthe under side oi the c p "i precticelly dry and substantially preventson leal ge of sold out through the ventppening.

, increased. dieineter or the upper portion ima es 22 of the stem and.the depth to which it extends below the cap 21 and consequently belowthe point where the plug is supported by the upper edge 19 of the fiengel8 lowers the center of gravity of the plug to such an extent that it isnot ily disengaged from the vent opening by eccidental contacttherewith. Furthermore, enlarg ing the diameter of the upper portion 22of the stem to a point adjacent the inner diameter of the upper ventopening 14 prevents any ap reciable lateral movement of the chargingplug within the vent opening and adds sufiiclent ed ditionel weight tothe plug as to substantially prevent accidental disengagement betweenthe charging plug and the vent opening.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it isto be understood that I am not to be limited thereto inasmuch as changesand modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the inven tlon as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, 2 claim:

1. The combination with a storage battery container having a flangedvent opening interiorly screw-threaded and a plain opening of lesserdlemeter below the threaded opening, of a "freely removable chergingplugadapted to close seid vent opening, said plug comprising a. cop portionresting upon the flange around the vent opening,

and an integral plain stem portion extending opening with the spacebetween said plain stem i portion and the sides of the threaded andplain openings.

2. The combination with a storage battery con tainer having a flangedvent opening interlorly screw-threaded and a plain opening oi lesser di-1".

ameter below the threaded opening, of a freely removable charging plugadapted to close said vent opening, said plug comprising a cop portionresting upon the flange around the vent opening, and an integral plainstem portion ezztending downwardly within said vent opening and inspaced relation with respect to the side walls thereof, said stemportion being of reduced diameter at its free end to provide o loterally extending surface above the plain open- 1 ing and such reducedfree end being extended into said plain opening, said cap portion saidstern portion being provided with a continuous groove having an openingto atmosphere the lateral side of the cap portion and which grooveextends laterally upon the under side of said cap portion and downwardlyelozig outer side of said stem portion.

0. @ODNEY,

